by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associated Industries of Arkansas Inc. (AIA) announced new board leadership for 2025. Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, has been elected chairman of the State Chamber board of directors, while Brad Hegeman, vice chairman and chief strategy officer at Nabholz Corporation, will continue as chairman of the AIA board of directors.

Landreaux brings extensive experience to her role as chairman of the State Chamber board. As president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, she leads efforts to deliver reliable and sustainable energy to approximately 730,000 customers across 63 counties.

Hegeman has served as AIA chairman since early 2024. As vice chairman and chief strategy officer at Nabholz Construction, he has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s strategic initiatives and growth since 1996.

Landreaux, Hegeman to chair State Chamber, AIA in 2025

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Randy Zook has been working to resolve the state’s labor dilemma with all the tools he can muster. With baby boomers retiring and a smaller number of new generation workers moving into the workforce, Arkansas and the nation are facing a daunting challenge to keep employers staffed.

“There are two open jobs right now for every one person who is officially unemployed. So you’ve got that gap, that two-to-one difference there that creates a lot of this gap,” Zook said on this week’s Talk Business & Politics.

While unemployment is at a historic low of 3.2% in Arkansas and while workers continue to come back into the labor market, there is still a demographic gap that can’t keep up. Arkansas’ labor force participation rate is about five percentage points below the national average, Zook said.

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/07/state-chamber-chief-estimates-two-job-openings-for-every-unemployed-person-in-arkansas/